Imagine yourself riding along in the back seat of a WWII trainer, the rear canopy open and the wind in your hair as you move above some of the most beautiful landscape in the world with Oregon’s Cascade Mountain Range as a backdrop. Then imagine a WWII-vintage fighter plane coming in to view… just for you… and just as you had directed during the pre-flight briefing a half hour earlier. You raise your camera to your eye to capture the moment, secure in the knowledge that you have the skills to do so with the best of your camera’s capabilities, having been trained by some of the world’s leading air-to-air photographers….
This could be you this August if you attend the Madras Air2Air Experience in Madras, Oregon. Well known and highly skilled aviation photographer, Lyle Jansma will be leading this aviation photography workshop, which will include opportunities for air-to-air photography sessions with warbirds from the Erickson Aircraft Collection. Aviation photography legend Paul Bowen along with Scott Slocum will also be on hand to provide instruction in the art of air-to-air photography. Here you will learn what it takes to plan and execute the perfect air-to-air photoshoot. For those who cannot afford the cost of the air-to-air component, you can still attend the training sessions to learn the requisite skills for that moment when you have the opportunity to put your knowledge into practice for real. All participants will have exclusive access to the warbirds in the Erickson Aircraft Collection for photography on the ground, not to mention being witness to Jack Erickson’s fleet of active aerial firefighting aircraft (subject to availability). This will be a marvelous opportunity to get up close and personal with working aeroplanes, and practice your skills as an aviation photographer with some of the world’s leading professionals at your side to offer guidance.
Over the next few months, WarbirdsNews will be providing our readers with further details of this fabulous aviation photography event set for the weekend of August 27th-29th, 2015. This is the second year Jansma has run the event. The inaugural event last year was a tremendous success, and this year is expected to be even better. The aircraft expected to take part in the air-to-air sessions include the Erickson Aircraft Collection’s Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress, Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, Consolidated PBY Catalina, MX2 and Pitts Special. Obviously, there must be some leeway allowed for the aircraft actually available on the day of your shoot, but it promises to be an exciting time whether on the ground, or in the air. For those of you who cannot attend, WarbirdsNews will have a reporter on hand to provide some vicarious photographic inspiration from Madras in August. We will have interviews with the leading instructors as well. Watch this space!
To sign up for the workshop click HERE.
Check out the Madras Air2Air Experience Facebook page HERE as well.
Richard Mallory Allnutt's aviation passion ignited at the 1974 Farnborough Airshow. Raised in 1970s Britain, he was immersed in WWII aviation lore. Moving to Washington DC, he frequented the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum, meeting aviation legends.
After grad school, Richard worked for Lockheed-Martin but stayed devoted to aviation, volunteering at museums and honing his photography skills. In 2013, he became the founding editor of Warbirds News, now Vintage Aviation News. With around 800 articles written, he focuses on supporting grassroots aviation groups.
Richard values the connections made in the aviation community and is proud to help grow Vintage Aviation News.
HELLO FROM KATHERINE FROM SYDNEY AUSTRALIA MY HUSBAN AND I ARE OFFICERS IN THE [RAAF] HE FLYS F-18A SUPER HORNETS I FLY C1-17 I LOVE YOUR PHOTOS WE ARE BOTH INTERESTED IN AIRCRAFT OF WW2 PETER MY HUSBAN IS AND OLD MEMBER OF THE [CAF] OF THE AUST WING HE WAS THE MEDICAL OFF FOR THEM OK KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK BY NOW .
Fantastic pictures, was so pleased with the display over at Madras last week. What beautiful War Birds! Thank you for the experience, will be back.